This jam is now over. It ran from 2023-07-31 23:00:00 to 2023-08-31 22:59:59. View 13 entries

Welcome to Brief Respite, a digital and analogue game jam!

Campers gathering around a campfire after a day of activity, office workers sharing stories around a water cooler, a student making a hot beverage in between their studies, a knight sharing a tender moment with her companion before facing off the evil dragon.

The theme of the game jam is Brief Respite. Make a game about taking a short break! The world outside might be stressful and even hostile to your existence, but right now is a moment of rest and calm.

To keep in the theme of the jam, we expect entries towards the shorter and simpler side. We also want to encourage people who have little or no experience to join the jam. Experienced game developers may use it as an opportunity to try out a new programming language, ruleset or genre.

Who can enter?

Anyone! You can work alone or in teams. We encourage you to make a short game solo or with a small team.
Only one person needs to join itch.io and submit the game. However, if others on the team also join itch.io, they can be tagged as contributors. (On your game's itch page, pick "Edit", "More", "Admins", and follow the instructions.)
We don't match you up with a team. You may use the jam community to find teammates but please do not spam.

When is the game jam?

The game jam runs from the 1st of August to the 31st of August (British Summer Time). Please check the date and time displayed above. You can join and submit your game any time within the period. Games made outside of the jam period are not accepted.

What can I make?

You can make a digital computer game or an analogue game. The game file needs to be uploaded to itch.io when you submit.
For a digital computer game, it has to run on Windows or web browsers supported by Windows. You can support additional platforms (such as Mac or mobile) if you like, but a Windows / browser build is necessary. You can make your game in whatever engine, programming language, or software you like.
An analogue game can be a tabletop role-playing game, a live action role-playing game, or a boardgame. It should be in PDF, HTML, EPUB or an equivalent format. The game you submit has to be a standalone game, without the need for other game texts. Mention of safety/support tools is advised.
You cannot make games that involve hate speech or bigotry.

What can I use?

The game should be developed during the jam, but you may use pre-existing code and can use whatever art and audio assets you have the legal right to use. For analogue games, you may build your game with existing game systems such as Powered by the Apocalypse, Forged in the Dark, Fate, Lumen and 24XX.

AI art and NFTs are NOT allowed!

Here are some places where you can find art, fonts, music, and sound effects for your games. Many of the assets are eligible for use in the jam but check the license before using and provide credit in your game’s description!

Art